Gethsemane
by Sidney Blackwell
Summary: The ENTIRE cast is back for a third season. Gwen and Duncan struggle with their friendship under the pressure of accusations and rumors. Will their relationship buckle or break out? DUNCANxGWEN, other pairs as well. M to be on the safe side for later
1. The Great Divide

I don't own TDI, TDA or any of the characters.

For those who have read "Deserving", this is not a sequel, just something else that I'm going to write in the mean time while I think up challenges for a more light hearted story. I am hoping for a little more angst out of this one.

I'm a pretty big Rise Against fan. This story was inspired by the song sharing the title (so I should be able to get more angst out of it). If you haven't heard it, go listen to it.

Hope you enjoy!

**Gethsemane**

**Chapter 1**: The Great Divide

Gwen sighed as she shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other. She stood amongst the other twenty-one cast mates, nearly all of them sharing the heavy sense of grief over the beginning of a third season. As far as she was concerned, they may as well all have been in-mates.

They had been away from their every day lives for over six months now, and the strain was beginning to wear on them, both in their personal and in their school lives. She supposed, reflecting, that this was why they had chosen to have a school based season. Their parents, particularly Courtney's, had pushed of some schooling if there was to be a third season.

Fresh Productions had sprung for an old dormitory, converting the lower levels to into classrooms, a cafeteria, a gym and an auto-shop. The grounds were actually quite pretty in their own little over-grown sort of way. The building was very old, giving it some character, and very secluded, much to the chagrin of the new 'students'.

She smiled a little as she scoped out the grounds. There was a football field, bleachers, a baseball diamond, a make shift tennis court, but what had caught her attention was the tall old linden tree about twenty meters behind the bleachers. She imagined herself spending much of her free time there, her sketchbook across her lap.

Her happy daydream was broken by the loud call of Chris McLean shouting from that obnoxious bullhorn of his.

"All right campers… Uh… I mean students!" He chuckled. "It's time to get settled into your rooms, but, before we can do that, we need to divide you into teams again."

Gwen looked about her cast mates feeling nervous. She knew that she had lost many of her friends last season, but there were a few she was still pretty tight with.

"Lindsay, Justin, Noah, Trent, Izzy, Bridgette, Courtney, Katie, Sadie, Ezekiel, Geoff, you will make up the 'Screaming Nerds'. DJ, Duncan, Tyler, Harold, Beth, Heather, Gwen, Cody, Owen, Eva, LeShawna, you are the 'Killer Jocks'."

Her apprehension level grew immediately at hearing the team divide. Her eyes immediately went to Courtney, who was already glaring death at her as Duncan approached. His easy swagger and typical 'asshole' grin put her somewhat at ease.

"Hey, Sunshine, looks like we'll be team-mates again!" He said, putting his fist up to perform their 'secret handshake'.

"Oh, great, were stuck with the delinquent and the weird goth girl again!" Heather bitched.

"Shut up, Heather." Eva growled. "We may be on the same team, but I haven't forgotten what you did to me back on the island." She threatened.

"Oh, how ironic!" Duncan laughed, "The biggest dweeb of them all is a 'Killer Jock'!" he said, gesturing to Harold.

"Gosh, Duncan, do you always have to be such a jerk!" Harold said, in his typical Harold way.

"Just ignore him, baby, you're all man to me!" LeShawna stepping up next to Harold, paying Duncan no attention.

In the distance, Gwen could Courtney screaming at Chris.

"This is so unfair! You did this on purpose!" Her voice grated Gwen's ears as her eyes located the source of the racket.

"Gee, do you think?" Chris returned sarcastically. "It wouldn't be called Total Drama High School if there wasn't any DRAMA."

"Uh oh. Looks like your Princess is about to have an aneurysm." Gwen said, getting Duncan's attention.

"Yeah, so, what of it?" He said, playfully punching Gwen in the arm as he smiled, dismissing Courtney's temper-tantrum as just part of having her around.

Gwen giggled at the friendly gesture, happy to find that she did, indeed, still have her best friend at her back.

"You did make it clear that nothing ever happened between us, right?" She asked, shoving him back.

"Why would I do that when making her insecure is so much more fun?"

"Duncan!" Gwen giggle in-spite of herself, as Duncan made to tickle her ribs, knowing full well that his girlfriend was watching him.

Gwen was caught completely unaware when Courtney made her way over. Shoving Duncan out of her way, Courtney wrapped surprisingly strong fingers around the neck of Gwen's shirt, and, pulling her forward, stuck the index finger of her other hand right in her face.

"Now you listen, you little goth freak! You keep your dirty goth hooks away from MY boyfriend, or…"

"Or, what, you'll call your lawyer?" Beth piped in, covering her mouth once she had realized what she had gotten herself into.

Courtney turned and glared at Beth for a second before turning her attention back to Gwen.

"No, or, I'll make you wish your GRANDPARENTS were never born."

Gwen just stared at her wide eyed, not sure of what to say or do. She had no interest in Duncan, other than as a very good plutonic friend and teammate, who she just happened to think was maybe, just a little bit 'stud-like'… not that she couldn't get past that.

After another moment of staring Gwen down, Courtney turned and stomped off, already barking orders at her team-mates. Gwen turned to look at Duncan. She found his expression to be quite similar to hers, that was, before he burst out laughing.

"Oh, you should have seen your face!" He roared, clapping her on the back. "Priceless!"

"Oh, did little Gwennie pee her pants?" Heather said, her tone mocking enough to snap Gwen out of her shock.

"Shut up, Heather, or you'll have to spend the million on facial reconstruction instead of road kill for that big fat BALD head of yours." Gwen growled back.

Gwen, thoroughly pissed off, was the first contestant to stomp into the building. She quickly followed the signs to the 'Killer Jock's' dorm.

_At least I get my pick of the rooms!_ She thought to herself happily.

Quickly, before any of the other contestants could make their way in, Gwen scoped out each room. They were nothing special. Each room had two twin-sized beds donning plain white sheets and comforters. Beside each bed was an ancient nightstand, all of which looked to have been rescued from rummage sales and dumpsters. In addition to this, there were equally as decrepit desks and dressers.

She settled on a corner room, which, much to her amazement, had a small balcony. In fact, all of the top floor dorm rooms had one. This room was also next to the common bathroom. She dreaded the heavy traffic going by her door, but was willing to make the sacrifice to have showers so close by.

Quickly, before her potential roommate could show up, she began unpacking, stuffing clothing into drawers, setting her make-up up on top of the dresser, and unloading stationary onto her desk.

Sighing contentedly, she looked around her new room, for what could be the next six months. Collapsing on her bed, boots and all, she fell into a deep and complete slumber.

She didn't know how long she had been out for before a heavy pounding came on her door.

"Gwen! Open up! Come-on! You've got to let me in!" Duncan's voice rose over the sound of his fists pounding on her door.

Getting up slowly, Gwen made her way over and unlocked the door. He nearly knocked her over as he scrambled in the door, slamming it behind himself. The look of sheer terror on his face made her giggle.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"You HAVE to let me room with you!"

"What!"

"Please, Gwen, you're my only hope!"

"Woe! No way! Courtney already wants to kill me."

"Gwen, please?" He begged, making puppy dog eyes at her.

"Why me, why don't you stay with…" Gwen began to think about who would best be suited to Duncan as a roommate and was coming up blank.

"Everyone else is already happily paired off." He said, annoyed.

"Well, wait, there are 11 of us and 6 rooms… Who has the single?"

As if she had a six sense, Heather burst through the door and hurled Duncan's bags at him.

"And stay out if you know what is good for you!" She screamed at him before turning and slamming the door on the way out.

"I'm not even going to ask." Gwen said.

"I was busy arguing with Courtney when everyone was getting hooked up with room-mates."

"I see." Gwen said, smirking. "Still lovin' the 'A' type I see."

"Yeah, well, what are you goin' to do about it?" He teased her, getting ready for another wrestling match.

Gwen merely stood in place, giving him a pleading look.

"Duncan, if you're going to stay with me, you are going to have to make it clear to Courtney that there is ABSOLUTELY, ONE-HUNDRED-PERCENT, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS, anything going on with us."

"What, and wreck my fun?" He said, allowing his face to fall into his bad boy grin.

"Uh! It's my funeral." She said, throwing her arms up in resignation.

"So, does this mean I can stay?"

"You cover the funeral cost, then sure."


	2. Great Awakening

I do not own TDI or TDA or any of the characters.

Because, this could be his great awakening, but, how would he know, it's all noise to him.

**Gethsemane**

**Chapter 2 : **Great Awakening

Duncan was lying back on his bed, listening to Gwen's iPod, which he had lifted from her top drawer without permission, when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the door crack open. Slowly, the door opened the rest of the way, revealing his Princess, who, in return, beamed at him from the doorway.

Panic immediately setting in, bolting upright, he ripped the buds of the blue iPod out of his ears and quickly tucked the device under his pillow.

"Courtney, what are you doing in Killer Jock territory?" His voice nearly cracked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Just making sure that you're behaving!" She said as she approached, a flirtatious expression dancing across her dark features.

"Thanks for letting me know where he was, Heather." Courtney called out into the hallway.

"Oh, anytime." Heather called back.

Duncan silently cursed Heathers everywhere.

Courtney began to stalk towards him. He was torn between panic and the urge to jump all over her. It had been weeks since they had the pleasure of being alone, but the idea of his roommate returning from dinner, and having his girlfriend find out about his girl-roommate made him reluctant. He vaguely entertained the idea of a vicious catfight between the two ending in a wild threesome, but knew better. He would tuck that one away for later.

He stood, meeting her at the end of the bed, desperate to distract her from finding anything obviously belonging to Gwen. He loved tormenting Courtney, and having a hot goth girl for a best friend certainly helped, but even he knew Courtney had her limits.

"Oh, what's the matter? Don't trust me, Princess?" He said, taking her in his arms, forcing her back to Gwen's side of the room, hiding his panic with a smooth grin.

"As a matter of fact…"

He cut her off before she could go off on another one of her rants by pressing his lips to hers. He, decidedly, liked her much better when she couldn't talk.

Though she resisted for a moment, it quickly passed. They began to make-out furiously, Courtney pulling at his shirt, his hands grabbing and squeezing at all of his favorite places.

That was when the door opened for a second time, Duncan and Courtney both turning to the door, Duncan wearing a look of horror, Courtney a look of fury. They all froze as Gwen stood in the doorway, an extra plate in hand.

"Oh, uh, sorry. I'll come back later…" Gwen said, placing the extra plate of food on Duncan's dresser before turning to leave.

Duncan was watching everything unfold in slow motion. He watched Courtney follow Gwen's movement to his dresser, then, her eyes swept across the room to the other dresser, and she began to studying the contents on top. He watched as her look of curiosity became one of horror, then, of pure, unadulterated rage.

"Hold on a minute!" Courtney yelled, causing Gwen to freeze in the doorway, her shoulders stiffing, her legs leaving obvious signs that she was thinking of bolting.

Courtney stomped over to Gwen's dresser, giving the contents a closer examination to confirm her suspicion. Duncan watched as her eyes landed on the tube of dark blue lipstick.

"You're rooming with HER!" Courtney screamed, pointing at Gwen while glaring at Duncan.

"Wait, Courtney, it's not what you think!" Gwen started.

"Oh, really! Then what is it! Never mind! I don't want to know!" Courtney stomped off, absolutely enraged.

Gwen just stood in the doorway, blinking at Duncan while be blinked right back at her.

"Well, now what?" Gwen asked, stepping into the room and closing the door.

"I… Wow!" He said, quickly covering up his distress with his smooth demeanor. "Did you see that reaction? It was fantastic!"

"Just remember what I said about paying for the funeral. I don't exactly come from money you know."

"Don't worry, Sunshine, I've got it covered." He chuckled.

"Shouldn't you go after her?"

"No way, Sweetheart. If I do that, she owns this relationship, and that is SO not going to happen."

Just then, the door swung back open, slamming into Gwen's back, knocking her forward into the room and into Duncan. They both watched with amused shock as Courtney, completely ignoring their existence, began laying a line of tape down the center of the room between the two beds.

When she was finished, Courtney stood. With great ferocity, she grabbed Gwen and yanked her around to her side of the room by the upper arm.

"There!" She yelled. "Now FREAK GIRL stays on that side, Duncan, you stay on THIS side."

Duncan watched Gwen sigh and roll her eyes.

"Courtney, I wish you would just listen for a minute. I don't like Duncan that way!" Gwen pled. He had to admit, her declaration stung his ego just a little.

"Right, says the girl who back-stabbed her own boyfriend and lied to her friends! I'm leaving!"

"What, no good night kiss, Princess?" Duncan mocked, giving her a look that told her he knew he was getting under her skin.

She made her way back across the room to him and, as he began to lean in for the kiss, his eye's closing, she pulled back and gave him the best sucker punch she could muster. The next thing he knew, he felt the sensation of weightlessness just before everything was dark.

"Duncan? Duncan, are you alright?" Her voice was tight and worried.

He heard a rattling noise, followed by a cold stinging sensation over his left eye. He groaned, moving his hand up to sooth the pain and was surprised to feel something warm and soft under his fingertips.

Slowly, he opened his right eye and gazed up into the face of a heavily backlit Gwen, who cracked a small smile through her worried expression.

"Good, you're awake."

The world wasn't making any sense, his ears were ringing and his face ached. He remembered Courtney, looking all hot and pissed off, and then, nothing.

He tried to ponder the meaning of it all, but found himself unable to focus. His very hot goth friend was looking especially hot as she leaned over him, holding an ice pack to his eye. He knew it must have been the concussion talking, but he had a very strong urge to pull her down on top of him.

"Duncan?" Her voice cut through the ringing.

"Mmmm…" He groaned.

It was then he realized he was making small circles over the back of her hand, which held the ice pack to his eye, with his fingertips. Meeting her gaze, he moved his hand to take a hold of the cloth and she withdrew hers and stood, strolling back to her side of the room and sitting on the edge of her bed.

"You can't sleep for more than twenty minutes at a time. You've got a concussion."

"How in the hell did this happen?" He moaned, attempting to sit up.

"Uh, you poked a big, angry, green-eyed monster with a very pointy stick and she attacked you." Gwen said, clearly irritated with him.

It all came back to him now. Courtney inspecting Gwen's dresser, the yelling, the line, then, the sucker punch. He knew he'd push some buttons with this one, but he hadn't realized that she was capable of this level of violence. He knew she was strong, and that she was angry, but to K.O. him? He couldn't decide if he as more in love or repulsed.

"What does Trent have to do with this?" He laughed, hiding his confusion over his feelings for Courtney and causing Gwen to sigh and roll her eyes at him.

"You had really better go apologize to her. Maybe I can convince LeShawna to let me bunk with her."

"What! Are you kidding!" Duncan said, jumping off the bed and stumbling onto her side of the room.

"Uh, hello, earth to Duncan! She isn't going to kill just me, she's going to kill you too!" Her look of concern for him touched him a little.

"Gwen, if you do that, she will definitely own…"

"Your relationship. Yeah, I know, got it. But, Duncan, aren't you worried that there won't be a relationship if you keep this up? Remember what happened with me and Trent…" She said, looking down in to her lap, a sad expression on her face.

"You let me worry about MY relationship with Courtney. You've got to focus on the game." He said, pointedly referring to her pining over her ex.

"Yeah, whatever. It might be better for everyone's health if I were voted off." She said, standing and crossing the line in order to get to his dresser.

He watched her pick up a plate of cold food and move toward his bed. She looked so delicate, so vulnerable, so… beautiful? He mentally slapped himself.

_Way to go there, Trent! Next you'll be calling her 'little goat Gwen'.__ And since when do you like delicate, vulnerable girls!_

Nothing was making sense.

"Here," she said, holding the plate out to him, "I picked up an extra plate for you since I didn't see you at dinner. It's cold now, but, I think there's a microwave in the caf' if you are interested." Then she smiled at him mischievously, "Or we could make a fire on the balcony to warm it up."

He accepted the plate, shrugging. He picked up the spoon in the center of the non-descript brown slop he supposed was supposed to be stew. Cramming a spoon full into his mouth, he swallowed thickly. It wasn't the worst crap Chef had ever made, but it was no prize winner either.

"It's okay cold."

"Yuck! It was barely edible warm!"

He took great pleasure in grossing her out as he spooned mouthfuls of cold slop into his mouth. When he was finished, he rubbed his stomach and set the plate down on his nightstand. Lying back in bed, he rested his eyes.

"You know, you can't sleep just yet, right?"

"I'm not sleeping. I'm just resting my eyes."

"Well, if you sleep, I can't."

"What, you don't want to sleep with me, Sunshine?" He joked, opening one eye and smiling at her.

"Unbelievable." Gwen sighed, rolling her eyes and laying back in her own bed.

"Just promise me you won't go doing anything stupid, like trading rooms to bunk with LeShawna. Harold snores way too much." He smiled, turning his head back and closing his eyes once more.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in twenty."


	3. Hide ‘n’ Seekrets

**Gethsemane**

**Chapter 3**: Hide 'n' Seek-rets

"All right, students!" Chris bellowed into the bleachers, where the contestants sat. "Today, our competitions will be totally random, mostly because I haven't finished the lesson plan yet." He chuckled.

Gwen glared at him for keeping her awake. She could barely keep her eyes open as she slouched next to Duncan. Her hair, though she had brushed in, had refused to co-operate, stray strands hanging in her face played about in the cooling late-summer breeze. Her top and corset were not sitting right and skirt had twisted around her waist.

She looked to her right, at Duncan's blackened eye. His Mohawk was starting to fall. He looked every bit as tired as she did. His skull t-shirt was on inside out, the bright red tag at the back of his neck drawing her attention. She'd let him wear it inside out. It served him right for making her stay up with him all night.

Smiling softly as she remembered spending the night, sleeping for twenty minutes, only to awaken in order to make sure Duncan did not over sleep.

_He is kind of cute when he sleeps…_ She thought to herself before she caught the thought. _Oh, crap, all of this 'There must be something go on between Gwen and Duncan' must really be getting to me! He is most definitely NOT cute!_

Gwen's vision blurred as a fist past closely in front of her eyes.

"Earth to Gwen!" Eva said, holding a set of bells in front of her face.

"What is this?" She asked, groggily.

"Our challenge! Were supposed to play hide and seek with these bells on. You need to get back to the foyer without getting caught. Each team has one seeker. The bells are to make it harder to keep quiet." Eva replied, thoroughly annoyed, her uni-brow forming a deep 'V', causing Gwen to silently wonder if Eva and Duncan were related.

_Don't be silly, Gwen. Duncan doesn't have a uni-brow, he's just always angry. When he really smiles you can see…_

"How do we win?" She heard Duncan mutter beside her.

"The team with the most people back to the foyer without being caught wins." Beth chimed in.

Getting up, avoiding finishing her thought about Duncan, she snatched the bells from Eva's hands. She pulled her lucky necklace, which Trent had been nice enough to return last season, from under her shirt and affixed the bell.

"We have ten minutes to hide, now let's all split up." Eva said, jogging off, prompting the others to split off.

"Well, Sweetheart, I've got a sweet spot all picked out to hide and catch some z's, so…" He said, starting to walk off.

"Oh, I see how it is." Gwen joked, "You keep me up all night, and then leave me." She said, not un-suggestively.

She watched as he froze, then slowly, turned around and rolled his eyes at her.

"All right, FINE. But if I help you with this, we are square for last night."

Even though he was extremely tired, she caught the inflection in his voice and the spark that flashed in his eye, a spark she was finding more and more appealing.

Ignoring the new attraction she was beginning to feel for her friend, she jogged up to him.

"So, what is the plan?" She asked as they fell in to step beside one another.

"Just follow me, Sunshine." He said, casting her a sideways gaze.

As they entered the school, she watched him look around the foyer. In the center of the fifty foot by fifty foot room stood a fifteen foot tall statue of Chris. Above Chris's head, there was a grate leading into air duct.

Gwen followed Duncan's gaze as it ran up the statue of Chris, falling on the grate so high up. Her own face fell in disappointment.

"You can't be serious." She complained.

"Hey, you wanted to hide with ME, Sweetheart. Now quit your whining and get climbing."

Sighing, Gwen began to climb the statue, full conscious of the fact that he was staring up her skirt.

_Don't think anything of it, that's just the way Duncan is. It doesn't mean he likes you or anything… And, hey! Since when do you care if he likes you or not?_

Reaching the top of the statue, she stretched upward, hooking her fingers around the friction-fit grate and pulling it down. She then reached up and tried to hook her fingers around the edge of the opening, but found she wasn't quite tall enough.

"Duncan, I can't reach."

With in thirty seconds he reached the top of the statue, then, turned to her with a grin. Bending down, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, teetering a little under the extra weight on such un-sure footing.

As he swayed, she wrapped her legs over his shoulders for a better grip. She instantly realized her error as she felt hot breath against her panties, causing her to squirm a little at the sensation, before she reached up and grabbed a firm hold on the edge of the vent.

Once in the rather large cold air return duct, she turned around and reached down to Duncan. His facial expression, one of complete awe, gave her an odd feeling of satisfaction which she covered with annoyance.

"Duncan, come on!" She hissed down at him.

As he came out of it, he looked up at her, his eyes landing on her breasts as she leaned down further. She watched as his eyes slowly traveled up to her face, her angry expression snapping him out of his hormone-induced trance.

"Nice view." He smirked.

"Shut up and take my hand."

He reached up and grasped her hand. For a moment, they stopped, staring into each other's eyes, something inaudible passing between them, something she chose to ignore.

She pulled him up into the dark, dusty duct and quickly snapped the cover back in place before turning to glare at him.

"I trust you got a good look? I guess you can add pervert to the list of your offenses."

"Hey, Sweetheart, you're the one who stuck it in my face!" He said, indignantly.

Satisfied that she had feigned offense at his behavior well enough to fool him, she lay back in the duct beside him as if in silent forgiveness. They lay next to each other, silent for a few moments before they both drifted off to sleep.

"TWO MINUTES UNTIL TIME'S UP. ANYONE NOT BACK IN THE FOYER IS OUT." Chris's voice startled them both awake.

Gwen lifted her head from a much softer and much warmer place than she remember laying it down. She looked up into Duncan's face as he removed his arms from around her. She blushed furiously and he simply returned his 'she so wants me' face.

"I…" She started, before he clamped his hand down over her mouth and pointed down to the room below. As she began to nod, he removed his hand.

She watched him as he observed the room below. He signed to her 2 N, 1 J, indicating that 2 Screaming Nerds had made it back, while only one Killer Jock had. That meant that this was up to them.

"ONE MINUTE, PEOPLE!" Chris's voice boomed over the PA system. Duncan seized the opportunity to remove the grate with out being heard.

Using great stealth, he slid his body out of the opening and dropped in silence to the floor before turning his eyes up and holding out his arms.

Her stomach turned. She was going to drop twenty feet and land on her friend, who was going to catch her. Her eyes searched his face, finding nothing but confidence that he could catch her, as he shook his arms impatiently. Rolling her eyes, she turned and lowered her legs out of the opening, and, taking a deep breath, dropped. The fall felt like it took an eternity, her life flashing before her eyes, or, at least the use of her legs.

Her anxiety was for nothing as she landing safely in his arms, her arms reflexively wrapping around his neck. She felt his chest vibrate against her ear and cheek as his spoke, but was unable to hear his words. She was too busy enjoying the warmth and safety she felt in spite of herself.

"Gwen." He said, releasing her legs, but retaining an arm around her torso. "Hey, you in there?"

She stood and took a step away from him, needing the physical distance, guilt washing over her at the attraction she had not choice but to acknowledge.

With the distance, she took a good look at him. He, much like she imagined herself to be, was covered in dust, a grey fluff ball hung from his falling Mohawk. As her eyes moved over him, she found a spot on his collar, which caused her alarm.

Moving closer, she whispered in his ear.

"Duncan, your collar has some blue lipstick on it."

His eye grew side.

"It's okay, your shirt's on inside out anyway. Just flip it right side out." She said, feeling his apprehension.

He speedily pulled his shirt of and began to turn it right side out, but, before he could get the fabric back over his head, a cold wave passed through the room, emanating from the doorway. Both turning to feel the source, both sets of eyes landed on Courtney.

She was shooting icy daggers at them. As she started to cross the room to them, her mouth beginning to open, Chris cut her off via overhead announcement.

"Okay, final score was Screaming Nerds 2, Killer Jocks 3. Killer Jocks take this one. Now, out to the field for the next challenge!"

Before Chris had finished his announcement, Gwen had already begun her hasty retreat to the football field. Duncan, still pulling his shirt on, was hot on her heels.


End file.
